A PokeShipping Pregnancy Series
by AmaroZuko
Summary: A look into the exciting moments of a future Pokemon Master in the making.
1. Finding Out

As she passed through the entryway, Misty made sure to make a quick stop by the mirror. She ran a hand through her shoulder-length, sunset orange hair to fluff it up a bit then adjusted the scarf around her neck. With a nod of approval, she grabbed her purse from the hook on the wall and yanked the door open.

"I'll be back before dinner!" She called out over her shoulder, her voice echoing throughout her house. "I have a load of laundry in the dryer, when it buzzes, take it and fold it, nicely." She added, making sure to add emphasis on the word, nicely. Her husband had a tendency to rush through things, especially when it involved chores.

Misty had barely made it a step outside before she heard the thumping of feet coming up from behind her. With a roll of her cerulean colored eyes, she turned around to face her husband of six years. It was obvious that he was confused by her sudden departure.

"Wait, you're leaving?" He asked, eyebrows deeply knitted. His loosely fitting grey t-shirt was damp around his neck, telling Misty he'd just gotten out of the shower. She couldn't remember the last time he'd actually taken the time to clean himself off.

"Seriously, Ash?" She groaned, giving him an annoyed look. All she received in return was a shrug and shake of his head. "I'm meeting your Mom for lunch, then we're going shopping." She reminded with a wave of her hand.

"Oh, right, I forgot," Ash replied, his hand reaching up to rub the back of neck, something he did when he was embarrassed. "Have fun?"

Misty just rolled her eyes again and stepped out so she was halfway outside the door. She was already running ten minutes late and she was starting to feel guilty for leaving Delia to wait for her to make an appearance.

"Love you!" Ash shouted, he voice cut off by Misty shutting the front door. Typical Ash to forget about plans she'd made and told him about nearly two weeks ago. Knowing he'd forget, she even wrote it down on their calendar and circled the date with a bright red marker. Sometimes the young woman really worried about her husbands' mental health.

She hopped into her car for the 20 minute drive that lead from Cerulean to Pallet Town. Right before they got married, Ash and Misty had looked for a home in Pallet. Ash had always talked about living near his Mother and Professor Oak's Lab so he could visit his Pokémon. They had almost placed a bid on a house when Daisy, Misty's oldest sister, announced she was moving to the Kalos Region to pursue her career as an actress. Soon after, Violent and Lily decided to leave too, which left the Cerulean Gym completely empty. There was no question that Misty had to uproot her own life plans to take over the Gym as the sole Leader. Ash had been disappointed, understandingly, but he followed without complaint. They moved into Misty's old house and were, now, extremely happy about the choice they'd made.

However, that left Delia practically alone in Pallet Town, so Misty made sure to visit her at least twice a week. Misty really loved Delia, not just because she was the love of her life's Mother, but because she was just an amazing woman. Misty would have stayed close to the older woman even if she and Ash hadn't gotten married.

Misty pulled up to the local diner in downtown Pallet, spotting Delia outside on the patio. It was an absolutely beautiful day, the sun high in the sky and a light breeze flittering through the air.

"Hi, Delia!" Misty greeted, waving as she made her way up to the table. As she stepped into the shade courtesy of the shop's awning, she moved her sunglasses from her face to the top of her head.

Delia offered up her brightest smile as Misty leaned down for a hug. The older mother loved Misty like she was one of her own. From the first time she'd met the carrot-top back when she was traveling with Ash, Delia had always secretly hoped she and Ash would end up together.

"And how is my favorite daughter-in-law doing, today?" Delia inquired as Misty took her seat across the table. When she had removed her sunglasses, Delia instantly noticed how worn out the younger woman looked. She was dragging quite a bit and the spark that was always present in her eyes wasn't as bright.

"Starving," Was Misty immediate response. She had already picked up the menu and was scanning it very intensely. For the past couple weeks, Delia had picked up on Misty's rapidly growing appetite. Misty had always been a petite eater, but now she had one that could rival Ash's, and that was something Delia knew her daughter-in-law wouldn't ever want to be compared to. "I've been craving a hamburger and fries all day."

The word "craving" caused Delia's heart to race as she started to make the connection. For several weeks, Misty had been worn down and she was eating handful after handful. Even Ash had complained a few times about Misty getting snippier with him than normal. All of these symptoms were definitely all leading up to one thing…

"Are you pregnant, Misty?" Delia blurted out. She hadn't meant for it to come out so suddenly, but she just had to know.

Misty choked on the sip of water she'd been taking after hearing the out-of-the-blue question. She coughed for a bit and tapped roughly on her chest to calm herself down.

"What are you talking about?" Misty wheezed.

Delia gave her one of those stern, motherly looks that she used to demand for more information. Ash received that look almost every time he came down for a visit and it was extremely powerful.

"No, I'm not pregnant!" Misty practically shouted, her voice filled with defense. This was not a conversation topic she'd expected to have with Delia today.

"Are you sure, honey?" Delia inquired, her tone extremely skeptical. It matched the raised eyebrow look she was sprouting on her face. "You seem very run down lately, dear, and your eating habits have changed," She continued, noticing the confused look on Misty's face. "Last weekend you ate more than half of my homemade cookies and that was after you ate two helpings of dinner."

She watched as Misty fell back into the metal chair, her facial expression switching from one of bewilderment to one of awareness. Her mind was flying at warp speed, trying to piece together what her mother-in-law was saying. The more she thought about the situation, the more everything started to hit her. Her cerulean colored eyes that were swimming with nervousness flew up to meet Delia's, who was staring at her with concern.

"I can't be pregnant," Misty whispered to herself as she began mentally counting back the days in her head. Once she calculated the dates, her face went completely pale. "I'm late."

At that statement, Delia lit up. There was no doubt in her mind now. This was the most exciting news she'd heard since Ash had told her he and Misty were engaged.

"I can't believe it!" Delia began, tears of happiness pooling in her amber eyes. "I'm going to be a grandma!"

Misty didn't hear her as she placed her left hand lightly over her mouth. She and Ash hadn't really ever talked about having children simply because they hadn't had the time to. Ash was busy with his league duties and Misty had a Gym to run. They'd had a few conversations about the topic when they were first married, but work took over, and here they were, six years later. Misty had always thought she'd have kids and Ash hadn't been completely against the idea. It just hadn't been a priority.

Now Misty's entire world was spinning.

Lunch passed painfully slowly for Misty. Delia spent the time making small talk, trying to release the tension in the air. She told a story about her last visit to Professor Oak's Lab and how she got to meet some Pokémon from the Kalos Region. Even when their food came, Misty sort of just pushed it around almost like it was a toy.

As soon as the waiter came back with her copy of the check, Misty was out of Pallet Town like a bullet. As soon as she was past the sign that said, "Welcome to Cerulean City", she stopped at the convenience store down the street from her house.

She purchased the first three pregnancy tests she saw off the shelf. The plastic bag hung off of her arm like dead-weight as she walked into the house. Then she found couldn't even keep her hands still enough to open the boxes.

A century passed during the five minutes it took for the test to calculate a result. The entire wait her heartbeat was roaring in her ears blocking out any sounds and thoughts. She glanced down at the timer on her phone, realizing her wait was over.

One by one, she checked all three tests, her eyes filling to the brim with tears after reading the results on each one;

Because they were all positive.


	2. Telling Ash

Thanks for the kind words, Tropicallight! I really appreciate it!

* * *

Misty's heart was hammering in her chest and Butterfrees were flittering around in her stomach. She wasn't known for being a nervous person, but this was a situation she hadn't been prepared for.

It had been a little over two weeks since she'd found out she was pregnant. The young woman was still in a sort of state of shock because it had completely come out of left field. She hadn't been to the doctor yet, but she guessed she was around six to eight weeks.

Her life was going to change completely in about seven months and her husband was completely in the dark. She felt awful, holding this ginormous secret from Ash, especially since it would affect him just as much as it would her. Plus, this was his child and if their roles were switched, Misty would want Ash to tell her.

She sighed, glancing down at her finished project. It was a medium sized box wrapped to perfection in blue wrapping paper and topped off with a pink bow. Her hope was that the two colors would give Ash even the tiniest bit of speculation to what she was trying to tell him. Deep down inside she knew it wouldn't help at all, but what was nestled within the box would give it away.

Misty wished she could just look her husband in the eye and tell him herself, but she hadn't even said it out loud to herself. Maybe once Ash knew, he could help Misty make sense of everything.

In the midst of her thinking, she almost missed the sound of the front door opening and closing. She immediately sat up in her chair as she heard Ash's shoes thump against the wall. The gift sat like a rock in her lap as she waited for him to walk into the kitchen.

"Hey, Mist," He greeted, his smile brightening at the sight of his wife before going straight for the cupboard. It was part of his daily routine, get home from work and have a quick snack before dinner. "How was your day?"

"Fine." Misty squeaked, mentally cursing herself for sounding weak. Ash didn't notice, however, as he rummaged through the cupboard for something appropriate to eat.

After a few seconds, he pulled out a bag of pretzels and instantly stuffed a handful into his mouth. With his growling stomach somewhat satisfied, he could finally give his wife the attention she deserved. Once he noticed the deep set frown on her face and the way her leg was bouncing up and down, he made his way to her side.

"Mist? What's wrong?" He asked seriously, sitting down in the seat next to her at their kitchen table.

"I have to tell you something." She replied in a low whisper.

Ash's eyebrows furrowed and a crease formed above his nose, something that happened whenever he was confused. Misty was never, ever, this quiet which meant something had to be wrong.

"Alright," He started off slowly, realizing that Misty refused to make eye contact with him. He placed a hand on her bouncing knee which only seemed to make his wife more nervous. "You know you can tell me anything, Misty."

Misty released a heavy sigh then gave a terse nod in acknowledgement. She placed the present on the table and pushed it over in his direction. Ash glanced down at the gift before offering up a puzzled look.

"Open it." She encouraged.

After flashing another confused look, Ash began to carefully untie the ribbon. As he moved to tear off the wrapping paper, Misty felt a wave of nausea wash over her body. She brought a hand up to cover her mouth as the white box underneath became known.

Ash gave the box a thorough look over, racking his brain to find a reason for the present. It was early April, which didn't hold any dates of great significance. Ash's birthday wasn't for a few more months and they had celebrated their six-year anniversary last month. Maybe April had some sort of special holiday he'd forgotten about?

He gave Misty another quick look, watching as she kneaded her knuckles and her face was almost a sickly green color.

Sucking in a deep breath, Ash warily lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a plain white t-shirt nestled within a mixture of blue and pink tissue paper. Giving up on guessing what was going on, he gave an exasperated noise and started shaking his head.

"Mist, if you wanted to give me a shirt, you didn't have to wrap it," He explained with slight irritation. It wasn't the first time Misty had brought him something home to wear since she was always complaining about how he never had anything decent. Ash couldn't remember the last time he'd actually bought his own clothes. "I mean, I appreciate it and all, but you didn't have to go to all this trouble."

For the first time in almost three weeks, Misty felt her nervousness start to dissipate and start to be taken over by anger. She'd been sitting in this kitchen for the past three hours waiting for Ash to get home and, of course, he couldn't do the simplest of tasks. All she needed him to do was pick up the shirt, that's it. How hard was it to open a gift? Was her husband really this incompetent?

"Just look at it." She bit, her teeth grinding together as she spoke. The seriousness in her tone seemed to kick Ash into gear because he picked the shirt up out of the box to give it a full look.

Misty watched as his facial expression froze, light brown eyes widened, and his mouth went agape. After a painful three minutes, he finally broke away from his stupor and looked up to Misty. In a swift movement, he turned the shirt around so front was facing her.

In bright, perky blue letters with an exclamation point at the end were the words, "World's Greatest Dad!"

"I'm going to be a Dad?" He whispered, voice filled to the brim with disbelief and revelation. As the words continued to process in his brain, he started to feel hot tears pressing against the back of eyes.

Misty, who had her own tears threatening to spill over, simply nodded. The Butterfrees in her stomach kicked into overdrive and she instinctively placed a hand on her midsection.

The simple action caused the tears in Ash's eyes to escape their barrier and in mere beats was out of his seat, pulling Misty into a tight, loving embrace.

"Thank you," Ash murmured into her ear, elation carrying over in his words. His left hand left her waist and slowly settled right below Misty's bellybutton. "Thank you so much."

Misty set her chin on her husband's shoulder, closed her eyes, and for the first time in nearly three weeks; she exhaled.


	3. Morning Sickness

Thank you all for the kind reviews!

* * *

When Misty woke up that morning, she expected to feel the sun shining on her face, hear the birds chirping cheerfully through her partially open bedroom window. Mornings were Misty's favorite, she had her own routine that would pretty much set her mood for the rest of the day.

This particular morning, however, was completely different than most. Instead of feeling upbeat and content; Misty felt discouraged and irritable. Underneath her heavy sea green comforter, she felt suffocated and her body was sticky with sweat. Her sheets were damp and the ends of her fiery red-hair were matted against her forehead. She groaned and kicked the blankets off of her as quickly as possible. The air-conditioned air enveloped her heated body which caused a sigh of relief to escape Misty's pink lips.

The moment was short-lived as a wave of nausea washed over her entire frame, causing her to gag. She'd been to her Doctor a week ago and she'd warned Misty that morning sickness could appear at any time. Of course, being the type of person she was, Misty shrugged the idea off, claiming it would never happen to her.

Obviously, she was wrong.

The young woman rolled onto her back before placing a shaking hand on her growing bump and began rubbing soothing circles against her thin nightshirt in an attempt to calm the nausea. It seemed to be working for a while and the dizzy feeling started to dissipate.

The expectant mother assumed she was in the clear and decided to get up for the day, but as soon as she sat up, a tingling sensation spread throughout her lower jaw, her stomach began churning and the taste of bile started creeping up the back of her throat. She clamped a hand tightly over her mouth before she sprang out of bed and practically flew into the bathroom. She made it just in time to hunch over the toilet and expel the contents of her stomach into it. When the feeling passed, Misty rested her head against the cold porcelain, panting lightly, and dying for a glass of water.

Misty wasn't sure exactly how long she had been sitting there alone, feeling slightly pathetic and extremely agitated with herself. It could've been minutes, it could've been hours, all she knew is that as long as the nausea was swirling in her stomach, she'd remain in her exact spot.

Suddenly, the door creaked open and she blinked up at her husband's appearance.

"Hey, honey." Misty greeted with a weak smile, her voice soft and raspy.

Ash was frowning deeply, his light brown eyes swimming with concern. He cautiously walked up to her and placed a hand on Misty's hot forehead. He wasn't used to his wife looking so frail and sickly. She was, without a doubt, the strongest woman he'd ever met in his life. She'd never taken a sick day, never complained when she was feeling under the weather, and if she was visibly ill, she powered through it.

Being pregnant, however, was a completely different realm. Misty would be going through so many changes within the next couple of months and it would definitely take a toll on her growing body. Ash would have to get used to be seeing his beautiful wife looking a bit pale and lying on the bathroom floor.

Of course, he would be by her side through thick and thin. He was beyond thrilled about having a child, their child, a mix of them both, coming into their lives and he was looking forward to watching Misty morph into a wonderful Mother. He would do everything in his power to make sure his wife and unborn child were happy and healthy.

Misty groaned, drawing Ash's full attention back to her. Her viridian eyes were dull and the natural blush of her cheeks was replaced with an almost green color. She looked absolutely miserable, her forehead leaning on the toilet, her arms crossed loosely across her slightly bulged stomach, almost as if she was trying to sooth the child within her.

"Morning sickness, huh." He stated simply, voiced laced with pity. Misty nodded sluggishly and tried to give Ash a smile of reassurance. She really couldn't deal with Ash being all clingy and obnoxious like he always was when she wasn't feeling well.

Misty tried sitting up, but the simple action caused her to lean over the toilet again. Ash gathered up her hair to keep it out of her face and blew cool air against her neck. It calmed her down significantly and she gestured for her husband to sit down next to her.

He obliged without a word and leaned up against the bathroom wall then helped Misty lay down. Her head found itself in his lap with her hands cupping her baby bump. They sat in silence for a while, Ash running his fingers through Misty's hair and his wife loving every second of it.

"Don't you have to get to work?" Misty finally asked, voice thick with grogginess.

"Nah," Ash replied, running his knuckles delicately over her cheek earning a sigh of contentment from his wife. "I'd rather be right here."


	4. First Doctor's Appointment

I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, I'm just not 100% sold. I might change it, who knows. I hope everyone is doing well and having a great week!

* * *

"Ash, for the last time, sit down!" Misty hissed for the tenth time, her patience growing extremely thin. She looked around the waiting room, hoping none of the other people were bothered by his annoying behavior. She simply couldn't stand his immaturity sometimes.

Her husband either didn't hear her command, or pretended not to because he didn't stop. She watched him with narrowed, hateful eyes as he continued to pace around, fighting the urge to stick her foot out as he walked past her. He'd remained still for an entirety of five minutes before popping out of his seat like a two-year-old child.

"Looks like I'll be raising two kids instead of one." Misty muttered under her breath, sending a glare at Ash's back. He must've picked up on her hostility because he paused long enough to send her an uneasy grin, eyes darting around the area above her head. Misty felt her irritation start to fade away when she noticed his extremely nervous body language. Clearly he handled stress a whole lot differently than his wife did.

"Misty Ketchum?"

At the sound of her name being called, Misty glanced up towards the front of the room where a nurse dressed in pink scrubs was waiting with a bright smile. Misty hoisted herself out of the chair and as she passed by Ash, she gently grabbed his wrist to lead him down the hallway. The examination room was painted power blue and Misty felt herself grow a tad jittery as she sat down on the exam table. She shifted a tad, the paper beneath her crinkling with every move she made.

The nurse whose scrub top read, Olivia, fiddled with a few giant machines while Misty and Ash settled in. Well, more like Misty because Ash refused to sit down and was bouncing from one foot to the other.

"So, Mrs. Ketchum," The nurse addressed, swiveling in her chair with a blood pressure cuff in her hand. She offered another warm smile and set the cuff in her lap. "How have you been feeling?"

"Pretty good," Misty replied, watching as Nurse Olivia pushed a few buttons on the keyboard for her computer. "A little bit of morning sickness, but it's not so bad."

Ash scoffed in protest, but kept his mouth shut after Misty shot him another glare. After some friendly small talk and going into great detail of both Ash and Misty's medical histories, the nurse continued on with the check-up. Misty answered each question honestly with a little bit of input from Ash, but it was mostly silence from her husband. Misty wasn't used to Ash being so quiet and reserved and she had to admit that it was making her worried.

They were both relieved to find out that Misty's blood pressure was normal, her heart sounded great, and her weight gain was right on track. There were a few more personal questions, a short physical, and internal exam before the nurse rolled a bigger machine, which looked like a tiny television screen, next to the table.

"Alright, enough of that boring stuff," Olivia announced, pressing a few buttons on the screen before grabbing a bottle full of bluish looking gel. "Let's get a look at this cutie pie."

As she rolled up Misty's sea-green t-shirt, the young woman felt Ash grip her hand tightly. Knowing that if she gave him any attention she'd get even more anxious, so she kept her gaze on the ceiling, but gave Ash's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Misty's heart was pounding in her ears as Olivia placed the wand on her gel covered stomach. Ash's grasp on her hand was causing it to cramp up something fierce, but before Misty could say anything, Nurse Olivia released a high squeal.

"Here we go!"

Misty's eyes instantly flashed up to the screen and a gasp caught in the back of her throat. She wanted to ask so many questions, but when she tried to speak, the words stuck like glue. She just couldn't believe there was a baby, a mixture of her and Ash, growing inside of her stomach.

"I'd say you're around 13 weeks," Olivia informed the two, moving the wand around for a few more seconds before stopping again. With her other hand, she pointed to the screen, using a finger to trace the different parts of the baby's body. As she saw each part, Misty felt herself falling more and more in love with the tiny pumpkin. "This little one is very healthy!"

The words went in one ear and out the other as Misty continued to stare intently at the baby's image. She was in complete awe that she and Ash had created this wonderful miracle. It was without a doubt this was the greatest thing she had ever done in her life.

Her gaze flickered over to her left and she had to do a double take at the sight. Ash was sniffling through his nose and Misty could see that his eye were glossed over with tears. She smiled and leaned up towards him to press a sweet kiss to his cheek.

"Are you okay?" She whispered softly into her husband's ear. He rubbed his eyes, wiped his hand on his jeans and nodded.

"Mhm," He hummed returning Misty's affections with a kiss on her head. "I just can't believe that's our baby." He explained quietly, expression etched in amazement.

"I'm really going to be a Dad." He choked out, the tears falling freely down his perfect face.

"Yes," Misty agreed in a whisper, looking at her husband with adoration. "You are."


	5. Telling Delia

I'm not sure about this chapter either. I've been so busy with school and work that I've been neglecting my writing. I'll keep working on it. Stay wonderful!

* * *

Misty released a light giggle as she watched Ash run another shaky hand through his unruly raven colored locks. He hadn't been able to sit still for the past hour, constantly fidgeting in his seat. His excitement was pretty obvious, but the hidden nerves were fluttering around as well. To say Misty was anxious was a bit of an understatement, but keeping her energy under wraps was easier for her than her hyperactive husband.

Tonight was the night Misty and Ash were finally going to tell his Mom, Delia, that Misty was pregnant. While she was the one who had originally planted the idea in Misty's mind, she had yet to receive any confirmation. In fact, Misty thought the older woman had forgotten all about it because the topic hadn't been brought up again, and usually when Delia wanted to know something, she would nag until she got her answer.

Surprisingly, it hadn't taken Misty much convincing to get Ash on board with telling his Mom. He had actually been feeling bad about keeping her in the dark, so he was thrilled when Misty told him she was ready to go public. Initially he had invited her over for dinner at their house, but Delia being the amazing woman she was, insisted on cooking, resulting in the meal being held at Ash's childhood home.

The meal, as usual, was excellent and the atmosphere was airy with lovely conversation. Well, between Delia and Misty at least. Ash was a mess, picking at his plate, avoiding eye contact, and stuttering over his words when talked to. Misty was shooting him dirty looks the entire evening, perplexed by his muteness, but, surprisingly, Delia didn't seem bothered in the slightest. She was as pleasant as ever, all smiles and titters. She either didn't notice her son's bizarre behavior, or simply didn't care.

"Well, Delia, you have outdone yourself once again," Misty announced as she pushed back her second empty plate, fully satisfied. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome, dear," Delia smiled as she began clearing the table. Ash quickly stood to his feet, busying himself by sloppily collecting all of the empty dishes. "It's so wonderful having you two live so close by."

Misty hummed in agreement, sending her gracious mother-in-law a bright smile of her own. She absolutely adored the older woman. She was, in a way, Misty's own surrogate Mother, giving her more affection and comfort than her own parents had growing up. There was no doubt in Misty's mind that Delia was going to be the best Grandmother her future child could ever dream of.

After Delia and Ash had cleaned the table, a freshly baked, still steaming, mouth-watering apple pie was placed on a pot holder to keep it from scorching the wood. Misty wasted no time in cutting out a rather sizable piece for herself, adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream that instantly began to melt.

She had nearly finished her slice when Delia re-took her seat, releasing a sigh of contentment as she crossed her legs.

"There's actually a reason we wanted to have dinner with you tonight, Delia." Misty voiced, setting her fork against her dessert plate with a "plink". Delia perked up, sitting straight up in her chair just as Ash poked his head around the corner.

"Oh?" She responded, voice filled with curiosity, amber eyes sparkling. To Misty, it was like she was looking into the eyes of her husband. Ash, having suddenly come to life, was beaming like an idiot as he handed his Mom a book with the front facing downward.

Misty squeezed Ash's hand as she carefully watched Delia's face as her expression molded from one of confusion to one of complete wonder. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as she placed her fingers against her mouth, separating them as she tried to contain her shock.

"' _I Love My Grandma_ '?" She whispered, tone wavering as she swallowed back a heap of sobs.

"Open the cover, Mom" Ash gestured excitedly, bouncing on the tips of toes while Misty swiped at her under-eyes to to keep her tears at bay.

Delia fumbled with the cover, hands shaking with emotion. Once she finally pried it open, she gasped, eyes scanning the words written in elegant scrawl on the title page with a sonogram photo taped underneath.

 _This Book Belongs to: Grandma Delia_

 _From: Baby Ketchum_

 _I can't wait for you to read this book to me!_

"I'm going to be a Grandma?" Delia squeaked, slowly setting the book down as Ash bobbed his head in affirmation. Misty glanced to him with adoration, loving how enthusiastic he was being.

"My precious boy is having a baby of his own!" She wailed, practically leaping across the table to squeeze Ash in her tight embrace. He groaned, of course, but when his Mother started crying, his expression softened and he gratefully hugged her back.

As the two embraced Misty looked down to her stomach and set a delicate hand over her bellybutton. The baby was already so loved and cherished, she simply couldn't wait until he/she was actually with them.

"She's going to be such a wonderful, Mother." Misty heard Delia breathe causing her eyes to flicker to Ash, greeted by his stunning smile.

"Yes," He agreed, gaze moving to meet Misty's. "She certainly will be."


	6. Baby Bump

Sorry for taking so long with this update. I've had a bit of a mishap with my laptop, so I can only use it when it's connected to a television screen which means I can't take it with me anywhere. And since I spend most of my time either at work, or school, I don't get many windows to type. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get it fixed, perks of living in a small town, so this is how things might go for a while. It's quite a nuisance, but I'll have to deal, I suppose. Anyway, please enjoy this next installment!

* * *

Ash gave a sigh of relief as he hung his keys on the rack by the front door. He'd endured quite a rough day at the office, so he was more than thrilled to be able to spend the rest of the night resting on the couch with a bowel of strawberry ice cream. After sliding off his sneakers, wriggling out of his coat, and locking the deadbolt, he ventured down the hallway, the warm smell of cinnamon apple lingering in the air. For the past three weeks, Misty had been burning the enticing scent constantly throughout the day, claiming that if she couldn't smell it, her head would start to hurt. Ash had no idea how, or why cinnamon apples prevented his wife from having headaches, but with her being pretty well into her pregnancy, Ash had learned not to question her reasoning for such things.

"Mist?" Ash called out, as he passed through the untouched kitchen. He was a tad bit confused, considering that it was nearly six o'clock without any signs of dinner even starting. It wasn't that he expected Misty to be slaving over the stove as he soon as he got home from work, but she often expressed how much she enjoyed it, and that she would never allow her husband to even pick up a spatula. The one time he'd attempted to cook Misty a meal, he ended up burning a hole in the bottom of the soup pot.

"Sun room!" Came Misty's sweet voice from the room across the hall.

Pleased to hear her awake and well, Ash quickly crossed the way, entering the cozy room, Misty had quickly detained as her own. She decorated the room to perfection in a theme she dubbed, "Ocean's Delight". It was her home away from the beach and with the walls mostly made up of windows, the comfortable warmth the sun brought in very much compared to spending a day lounging in the sand.

Calming ocean waves resounded through the air, curtesy of the sound machine perched on the window sill. Ash wasn't surprised to find Misty curled up in her sky blue lounge chair, the book she had been reading the past few days resting against her knees. She had been quite exhausted over the last month, growing a child probably had something to do with it, and spent most of her time in the sunroom either reading, or napping. Ash, of course, had no objections, he was quite pleased that his wife wanted to spend her time lazing around instead of getting herself all worked up. Any activity that kept Misty at home, safe, was 100% approved by her husband.

"Hey, hon," Misty greeted with a bright smile, scooching over to give Ash some room to squeeze in. He happily obliged, nestling into the soft cushions, allowing Misty to lay across his lap, resting her back against the left armrest. "How was work?"

Ash released an obnoxious groan, earning a playful eye roll from his wife. She closed her book, making sure to mark the page for later, before giving her husband her full attention.

"Rough day, I take it?" She giggled, nudging his shoulder with her own.

"Always a drag," He huffed, tone feigning annoyance. "I'd much rather spend my time with you." He grinned as he placed a slobbery kiss on his wife's smooth cheek. She squealed and swiftly wiped any traces of his spittle, lightly pushing his face away.

"How about you?" He questioned, setting his feet up onto the footrest, allowing himself to fully settle in. "Did you have a good day?"

As Misty went into great detail about an episode of some television show she'd recently become invested in, Ash unconsciously placed his hands on Misty's stomach, only to ripe them back as if he'd touched a hot stove. He went rigid for a moment, causing Misty to cease in her babbling to give him a perplexed look.

"What is it?" She piped, watching Ash as his gazed remained planted on her stomach. His eyebrows began to furrow before he reached out with a determined hand and started to roll the bottom of her white t-shirt up, revealing the pale skin underneath.

"Ash, stop it." Misty scolded, wiggling to get distance from him, but he just waved his hands rapidly in the air to prevent her from moving.

"I want to see something." He breathed. Misty pursed her lips, unsure of if she wanted to allow him to continue. She wasn't used to Ash being so pushy and demanding about seeing her belly. She loved that he was so involved in the pregnancy and didn't mind letting him talk to the baby whenever he pleased, but she didn't want him thinking that he could start messing with her whenever he desired. She didn't mind his touch either, but she was feeling self-conscious about her changing body and at this point, she'd prefer him to ask for permission.

She glanced down at him, wanting nothing more than to reprimand him for his actions, but the way he was staring so longing at her belly was deterring her from doing so. She knew he meant no harm, so with a sigh, she relinquished any feelings of irritation and let him do as he wanted.

Realizing his wife wasn't going to beat him, Ash continued rolling her shirt up past her bellybutton before a quiet gasp passed by his lips.

"I can't believe it," He whispered, light brown eyes going wide as he set his hand on her skin. "You've got a bump."

Misty instantly forgot what had just transpired and immediately propped herself up so she could see the bump for herself. Her mouth dropped open at the sight, her own hand making its way up next to Ash's. She softly trailed her fingers along the small curve, much like her husband had, completely in awe. She was elated because with a bump finally beginning to appear, it meant that the baby inside really was growing.

"How did I not notice?" She squeaked, unsure of how she missed the pudge that morning when she'd gotten dressed for the day.

"It's barely noticeable," Ash replied, eyes breaking out of his ogle to glance up at his wife. "But it's definitely there. Incredible."

"Now I think about it, my jeans have been feeling a bit snug lately," Misty mused, setting her hand atop of Ash's. "I thought I'd just been eating too many sweets."

Both of their attentions went back to the bump, not quite ready to part with the sight. They wanted to document the moment so it would be engraved into their memories forever.

"I love it," Misty suddenly voiced, tone filled to the brim with joviality. "And I can't wait for it to get bigger."

While Ash wouldn't say it out loud in front of his beautiful wife, he secretly couldn't wait for it to get bigger too.


	7. Mood Swings

Happy 2017! So, I know it has been a while since I've updated and I'm sorry for that. It was a struggle typing on my broken laptop while keeping up with my studies, but I finally broke down and bought a new one! Have to love those black Friday deals! Then holiday season appeared out of nowhere and I happen to work in retail, so my hours were crazy. I also decided to be insane and take intersession classes this year, so I haven't had a winter break. Now that holiday is over, my hours should go down at work, which isn't too great because I have a car payment now, but it'll give me more time to focus on my studies and my stories! I'm a little rusty, so this chapter may not be up to par, but I'll work on it!

* * *

With a hefty sigh, Misty tossed the overstuffed cardboard box onto the concrete floor, the harsh landing echoing off the bare basement walls. She didn't spend much time in the unfinished room, honestly, it creeped her out to no end, but it was the perfect spot for storage, so from time to time, she forced herself to tip-toe down the creaky staircase and sift through the boxes to get what she needed.

She placed a hand under her protruding bump, it had grown significantly over the past few weeks, and gently eased herself down onto the ground, sitting cross-legged, and letting her belly rest against her thighs. Misty reached for the box, spinning it until she saw the words, _Misty's Childhood Belongings_ , scrawled in her handwriting on the top-left corner. She hadn't opened the box in years, had nearly forgotten about it, but lately she'd been feeling a bit nostalgic. She attributed it to being pregnant and was constantly plagued with flashbacks of herself as a young child. Sometimes she even replaced herself with what she thought her future child might look like. It filled her up with happiness, the mental visual of her future son or daughter, playing with the toys she'd adored growing up.

Which is the exact reason she found herself in her skeevy basement at such a late hour, waving at the air to prevent any dust from coating her lungs. Instant memories flooded her body as she took in the sights of her favorite trinkets. Settled at the top of the box was stuff she'd kept from her teenage years; a few books, some t-shirts she'd worn too many times and couldn't bear to part with, the handkerchief Ash had given her years ago, a couple photos taken with friends and family, typical teenage stuff. She set the items aside, not too interested in them, but more into what was lying underneath.

She picked through a few of her favorite toys; a block set, an old rickety telephone, a raggedy doll, and a couple of story books she could recite by memory. Sure, they were a bit aged, but the mental image of the baby currently inside her belly flashed through her mind again, and she knew he or she would love the toys regardless.

A smile broke across Misty's face as she pulled out the canary yellow blanket folded atop her old dollhouse. It was a bit frayed around the edges, but the intricate pattern in the center remained perfectly intact. It was a hand-knit gift from her Grandmother and Misty had always treasured it as a little girl. She had called it "Poppy" and preferred wearing it as a cape instead of simply carrying it like her Father suggested so many times.

The young woman brought the fabric up to her nose, inhaling the faint, familiar scent of her childhood home; homemade blueberry pie and vanilla. Every Sunday her Mother would bake a fresh pie and handmake a tub of vanilla ice cream to get them through the week. Misty would always be at her Mother's side, standing on a step stool, rolling out dough, and sneaking spoonfuls of ice cream when her Mom wasn't looking. She would wrap the blanket around her waist like an apron and never failed to get it covered in flour, sugar, and blueberry residue.

Misty released a light giggle when she found the purplish stain near the bottom of the material, never fully able to get it out. She set it on her lap, the loose threads grazing her belly, specifically where she guessed the baby's legs were. Then another picture entered her mind, the child carrying Poppy around exactly like she had as a toddler, or it hanging over the baby's crib.

"What're you doing down here?"

Misty visibly jumped at her husband's sudden appearance, placing a hand on her racing heart when she realized he wasn't a murderer.

"Ash, you scared me!" She scolded with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "You shouldn't just walk up on someone like that."

Ash chose not to respond to his wife's chiding, knowing it would only start an argument. Misty had been rather moody as she progressed in her pregnancy, almost anything he did, or said, seemed to set her off. Misty had always been a loose cannon with a sharp tongue, ever since he'd met her when they were kids. Ash was used to her being snippy, but it had been amplified to level ten since she'd gotten pregnant.

"What's that?" He questioned, gesturing to the blanket draped across her lap, watching as Misty trailed her fingers across the cloth. He moved closer, leaning over his wife's shoulder to get a closer look, noticing the yellow/white checkerboard decoration stitched within the middle.

"Poppy," Misty answered, smiling fondly at it before glancing up at her husband. His expression was etched with confusion, silently telling her to continue with her explanation. "It's the blanket my grandmother knitted for me. I've had it since I was born."

She felt him kneel next to her, resting his chin on her left shoulder. He reached out with his left hand and tenderly took a piece of the blanket between his fingers.

"It's soft," Ash murmured, rubbing the delicate fabric against his fingertips. "Your Grandmother did a fantastic job for it to hold up after so many years." He complimented warmly, nudging Misty's knee with his own.

"Yeah," Misty whispered, traces of admiration and melancholy weaving into her tone. "She loved to knit."

They sat in silence for a minute, both seemingly mesmerized by the blanket's hypnotizing pull. Ash's eyes flickered to Misty's bump, pride and admiration bubbling within his stomach.

"I think we should give this blanket to the baby," Ash suggested, letting go of the blanket in favor of setting his hand on his wife's belly. "It could be like an heirloom, or whatever that's called. Your grandmother gave it to you, you can give it to the baby, and so on."

Misty's eyes stung with sudden tears at the mere image of wrapping their newborn in the very blanket she had been wrapped in by her Mother. Adding the fact that her husband was the one who suggested it meant the entire world to her and only added to the wave of emotions swimming through her.

She leaned into Ash's side, her eyes slipping closed, the picture of her unborn child nestled within Poppy, warm and safe.

"I think my grandma would really like that and so would I."


	8. Cravings

Hello! Sorry for the delay, I've been extremely busy being an adult and wish I could go back to being a child.

This section is pretty short, but I had some free-time today and wanted to get something typed. I hope you enjoy it!

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Misty released a heavy sigh as she opened the door to her fridge. Her cerulean eyes scanned the contents, ignoring the fact it was nearly empty, no doubt the courtesy of her ravenous husband, searching for one specific item.

Her attention flickered to the clock, annoyed that she was awake at such an early hour. She'd fallen asleep around ten, her normal bedtime. It had been a peaceful, restful slumber, but then a dream, centered around a warm, delectable smelling, sugary piece of blueberry pie, pulled her away. She woke up almost instantly, the craving for the desert washing over her entire being.

Within the last two months of her pregnancy, the cravings, specifically for sweets, were extremely intense. Every minute of the day, she was thinking about sugar and what she could get her hands on. For the first few weeks, the hankerings became so unbearable, she kept a bag of gummies with her because if she didn't, she'd get physically ill.

She was worried, of course, because she knew putting all of that sugar into her body couldn't be good for the baby. Her doctor had given her a very informative lecture on gestational diabetes and its affects which gave her quite the fright. After that appointment, she vowed to cut back on her sweet intake. It wasn't easy to say the least, but she'd do anything to protect her child.

She'd tried to push the craving for pie away, but it was to no avail. Her baby was relentless, a trait no doubt inherited from Ash. For twenty minutes, Misty tossed and turned, a ghost of the taste dancing on her tongue. Another ten minutes went by and she finally decided to divulge.

So, at 3:00 AM, she carefully crawled out of bed and tiptoed across the hall into her spacious kitchen. It was Ash's favorite room in the house, which was no surprise, and was one of the main reasons for buying the house.

Her eyes eventually landed on the pie tin and in a snap, she whipped it from its place on the second shelf. Without even cutting a piece out, she hopped up onto the counter, reaching into the sink to grab a fork. She stabbed into it with much enthusiasm, shoveling a single bite into her mouth. The flavor erupted on her taste buds, satiating her dream-inspired desire. She made a mental note to thank Delia for bringing the delectable pastry over that morning.

She continued eating her desert without a care in the world, savoring every forkful, completely oblivious to her husband, Ash, who was standing in the doorway.

"Cravings again?" Ash grinned, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed, a brow perked in amusement. She stared up at him, mid-bite, her fork still clutched in her hand. Her lips curled into an embarrassed smile, shrugging her shoulders before swallowing.

"The baby was hungry." Misty defended, spinning the pie tin so the larger half was closest to her. Ash rolled his eyes playfully, crossing the tile floor to take a spot next to her. He propped his elbows on the marble top, staring up at her as she continued to eat.

"Want a bite?" She reluctantly asked, noticing how her husband's attention was glued to the baked delicacy. Without hesitation, Ash nodded his head and with a sigh, Misty scooped up another dollop, offering it to him. He took it, chewing the bite quickly, the way Ash always ate.

"Man, Mom sure can bake." Ash sighed happily when he was finished. He was about to gesture for another bite, but a sharp look from Misty stopped him. He knew he had pushed it, taking one bite from her and he knew not to mess with his wife and her cravings. When he had eaten the last of the ice cream, he thought Misty was going to leave him. Now he made sure to keep three containers of strawberry ice cream in the freezer.

So, without a word, he reached behind Misty, kissing her cheek as he did eliciting a giggle from her, and grabbed the cookie jar. He reached into it, his tongue poking out between his lips as he searched for the cookie he wanted. The entire time, Misty was tracking him, the craving for the pie being replaced for a snickerdoodle.

Misty perked up immensely when Ash pulled out the cookie she hungered for. When he made no moves to give it to her, she gently smacked it out of his hand, and brought it up to her mouth, oblivious to Ash's almost offended expression.

"Glad you and the baby are happy." He muttered under his breath before reaching into back into the jar, wishing for another snickerdoodle.


End file.
